A Jackson High School football team assistant coach has been suspended pending an investigation into whether he struck a player in the face, making his nose bleed.

Antwon Baker, a 17-year-old JHS student, alleges he got a bloody nose after part-time coach Ricky Hurst back-handed him in the locker room during half-time of Friday's home game against East Lansing.

Players were spraying water on each other when the coach was reportedly hit with water, according to the student and a district official who confirmed some of the story.

"It is under investigation," said A'Lynne Robinson, spokeswoman for Jackson Public Schools. "To be right up front, there are some details that differ between the coach's story and the student's story. We're investigating whether it was provoked or unprovoked."

Take a look at that statement again: "We're investigating whether it was provoked or unprovoked."

The school official stops short of admitting the coach hit the kid.

But could somebody tell me what justification a coach would have to hit a kid if it was provoked? With water?